Sheet-gage for presses.



C. M. MORRISON.

SHEET GAGE FOR PRES$BS.

APPLIOATICIN FILED APR.2,1908.

903,751. Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

. I 2 SHEBTS-SHBET 1 "6943686 (Zara c7: 3 0/ C. M. MORRISON.

SHEET GAGE FOR PRESSES.

APPLICATIGN FILED APR.2,1908.

903,751 Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET-2. /gl'fi,

UNITED STATES Q iTENT oFFioE.

CHARLES'M MORRISON, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssioNonwio THEODORE iii niiisiin, .13.. OIPPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

sHEEIsoAeE non messes Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .Nov. 1.0,.i'90'el Application flled April'2, eos. Hamil-No. 424,117.

Philadelphia; in the county of Philadelphia ii i'd State of 5 Pennsylvania, ,llftvf invented- -ne\\: and useful Improvements in Sheet- G'zige for Presses, of which the following is i spec fication My present nve'ntiion relates to improvei ig-press'es ofthe platen type, and ithss for its object primarily to provide unimproved- 'ClGVlC-B of'this kind WlmleHL t he sheets are engaged-both on a horizontalfelid a,-verti'c el edge by. stops which. aresiniiilt'gm'eously movible towardthe sheet and in different angul'ar paths, causing it resultant notion of the. -sheet in -a diagonal direction whereby the f sheet Will'be'po'sitioned preciselyiboth verti v justed callyand laterally Anotherotqect of the invention is -to pro-.

vide lIiiplOVQdIiiallS for actuating: the sheetpreferably engaging stops, the gages bging actuated automatic-ally durm the move nientls of the platen bymeens-o ,an operative -coiinection 'with the p votecl bar oroth'er pi irt. of the gripper mechanism.

Another'obj'ect of the invention isto -i-io- ,vide a sheet-positioning devieebf :this'c arand laterally. 1

enter fcoinprising vertically.

movable stops, one of the ssiti stops being provided ;with';rneans for ipositively adtuat a return movement of the latter stop. f

- F'Fi'irther objects of .the invention ore to rovideqnoveltensionin devices *for. stretch.-

ing estrip which exten s across the fi ceof the platen end; carriesone or more gaging stops, thedatter stops be -n with 'no've devices-for frictional y holding them in 'd'rfierent adjusted-positions longitw" Edinally of. the strip, and else-to provedlmeens fon' mount ng the aterel'sto rovide. im-

and for -securing this stop in different a ositioiis To-. tl i consists in. certain improvements, and term biiiiitions and arrangements of perts,'. all'es will behei' einafter more fully described, the novel features being Shilyin theplaims at cationil'l ch 1 win teiieeonipenyingf pemgq g ire' is: in lflfl-ffiGW-Of e press eep ipped iiientsin pz per posi tioningdevices for printrection, and aupaper-en: provided siieh parts, so that' the ese and other endsthe l invention ointed out perticw eiend of-tl'ie specify (bails or,c1ainps 2.;and 3 arranged at the -\r pwith e paper-gageconstr ieted in accordance with my present invention, the platen and grippers being shown .in open position, and

"to'its positioning' by t'he'stops'; Fig 2 is a v ei v similar to Fig, 1 the sheet being shown positioned by the movable stops; 3 re plerten and .the gage fitted thereon, the parts being shown in printing position; Fig. i v represents a longitudinal section'on the line; 4 -4 of Fig. 2; Figs. Sand 6 re )resenttransverseseptio'np on the lines 5*.) and-6+6 res ective y ,o' ,i .4; Fiop'l'is a ers ective'- view of oneffiili'e slide swhjieh Berries the veirtieally mov able stops; Fig. 8' is 2t -per-' s'pective view Of 0i18 of the tensioning and supporting devices -for the strip ,wl ichcar riesthe vertically n oveble stops; Fig.9 re

resents e fragmentary sectional view on t e line 9- 5) of Fig. 5 ;f Fig. 10 is 'a' perspective viewof a'cam'for actuating one of the slides which "carries the vertically movable stops;v Fig. '11 is a perspective view (if one of th'e" supporting'brackets for iit'taclfing the gage the sheet being shown in position previo is resents an edge view. ofaafporlion-ofe 'view' of one of the 1 verii'ciilly movable stops. f Similar parts are'desi'gi ated by thesa ne reference chsiracter s iii-the several views; .Pepersposition ng devices constructed in fliiceordanoe 'With myjp resent' "invention are capable ofheing iipplied generally to presses of various ty es, andi 'i'so n pl 'ing the invention, it 'wi l be'understood of cour'se.that certain changes or 'inofiifications" may be 'made aceordi-i i g' to the-klifierent gpplicatipns of the' i nventioi lf in the present insteiice, 'I have shown the invention. asr'epplied' to a press pl'at'en 4 and -gripper mechan sm'of-a Well known eon-' struction, the"ga ge being so'apphed thereto as not tourequireemateri al modification 0fepplied to such ressesin common use wit t greatest fa'ci ity. lt' istobe n ierstoonil, however thalt the" particular form of gage shown, in the present instaiiee represents merel bne embodiment of-my inven-tionandthait; do not 'wish to'be restricted to=the ekact eonstruetions shown.

Inxthe present instence the platen-1 -is of" i1 usi ml construction having the tymperi;

per-end lower edges thereof At theilower edge of the platen isn'iounted the usuiil'pi'vge may e readilg.

oted ripper bar 4 carrying the upwardly extending grippers 5 which are brought into en agement with the face of the sheet to ho d the latter against the platen after the sheet has been properly positioned by the gages, and these grippers disengage from the sheet as the platen swings into open position in order to permit removal of the printed. sheet and the substitution of a fresh one, such mechanism being used on presses now in common use. The gripper bar is provided with journals 6 at its op 'iosite ends which usually engage brackets ,astened on the platen, but in order to readily adapt the invention to existing presses of this type, I have provided a pair of brackets 7 which have a horizontally extending arm 8 which is bolted or riveted to the back of the platen adjacent to its lower ed e and an upwardly extending arm 9 of the bracket projects laterally beyond the vertical edge of the platen and serves to sup ort the paper-positioning stops, an aperturcil lug 1O bein provided on the bracket to form a hearing or the respective journal of the pivoted gripper bar. As I have previously stated, however, the bracket just described is provided as a convenient means for supporting the paper engaging stops and the gripper bar, and it is to be understood that any suitable means may be rovided to support the stops. The gripper ar has a depending arm 11 carrying a. roller or projection 12 which cooperates with the usual cam or other mechanism for moving the grippers to and from opcrative position relatively to the sheet carried by the platen.

The paper-positioning devices employed in the present instance comprise vertically and horizontally movable stops, the verti cally movable stops being actuated by means of a pair of vertically movable slides 13, those shown in the present instance being substantially rectangular in cross section and guided to o crate Within a channel-shaped guide 15 b0 ted or otherwise secured to the arm 9 of the supporting bracket. Relative disengagement between the slide and its co-' operating guide is revented by means of a key 16 extending t rough and fastened to the vertical sides of the slide and a similar key 17 secured to and extending transversely of the guide, the keys operating respectively in longitudinal slots 18 and 19 formed re s actively in the sides of the slide and guide. ll tension spring 20 has its opposite ends connected to the respective keys and thereby L serves to actuate the slide in one direction. d The a er-en aging stops 21 are mounte on a 22 which extends horizontally across the face of the platen, this stri being preferablyof thin steel or other flexi le material in order not to interfere. with the operation of the gri pers, and it is supported at its opposite en s by means of a pair of supporting devices which are attached to and adjustable vertically on the respective slides. One of the said devices in the present instance is composed of a spring actuated carrier 23, the carrier having depending flanges 24 on its longitudinal edges to slidably engage a cross-head 25, the latter having vertical flanges 26 which overlap the longitudinal edges of the slide 13 and permit adjustment of the cross-head longitudinally thereof. The cross-head 25 carries a pin 27 which extends through an aperture 28 formed in a depending flan e on the outer edge of the carrier 23, and t e pin is surrounded by a helical compression spring 29, the ends of which bear respectively a ainst the crosshead and carrier and therefore tend to move the carrier outwardly. The opposite ends of the strip 22 are connected to the respective carriers at the opposite sides ofthe platen, the strip in the present instance being provided at its opposite ends with a ertures 30 which detachably engage hook-s aped projections 31 formed on the inner edges of the respective carriers 23, the spring 29 normally operating one of the carriers to ten sion the strip and retain it in cooperative relation with the respective hooked projections. By pressing inwardly on the outer edge of one of the carriers 23, the tension of the respective spring may be overcome and the strip may be disengaged and removed from its cooperatin projections, and any suitable number of t iese projections may be provided for sup orting the strip, a pair of such projections eing shown in the present. instance on each carrier, these projections being spaced vertically in order to permit an interchanging of the strip therewith.

In order to accommodate sheets of different vertical dimensions, the strip-carrying devices, as previously stated, are adjustable vertically on the respective slides, the latter in the resent instance being each provided with a .ongitudinal slot 32'within which operates a bolt 33, the upper threaded end of this bolt extending through an aperture 34 in the cross-head and through a longitudinally elongated slot 35 in the carrier 23, and a nut 36 is fitted on this bolt for the purpose of clamping the stfri supporting device in fixed relation to the s ide'13. It 15 generally preferable to clamp the cross-hea to the slide so as to prevent vertical shifting thereof, but to leave the carrier 23 free to operate in order to permit detachment of the strip, and for this purpose, the lower end of the nut is provided with a reduced shoulder 37 which extends loosely throu hthe slot 35 and bears upon the upper Bi e, ofthe cross headso that the carrier 23 isfree to slide b6- neath the nut. The opposite strip carrier 23 me be stationary.

he sheet-engaging stops 21, as reviously stated, are adjust b e longitudina 1y of the strip 22, and in the present instance they are provided with openings 38 toslidingly en-- gage the strip and openings 39 which extend at a right angle to the opening 38 and re to facilitate the, entrance of the edgeot' the sheet beneath it. j v

The vertically movable slides, as previ-' .ously stated, may be actuated to carry the,

the-abutment and an end ,of the carrier .31,

stops 21 into engagement with the edge of the sheet by any suitable means, but in the present instance, it preferable to actuate these slides automatically by means of the gripper mechanism, the pivoted bar l of the latter being provided with a cam, crankorother suitabletdevice, a pair of cams 41 being used in the present instance which are rotatable with the gripper bar and each has'alr inclined portion' 42 which cooperates with a projection 43 on each 'slideto move the gages before the grippers engagethe sheet and a concentric portion '42-Which engages said projection but does not move the-gage while the grippers are engaging the sheet, the cams overcoming the action of the springs 20 of the slides ands'erving. to move the latter u Wardly While the grippers approach, but efore they engage the sheet on the platen, andafter these grippers recede from the sheet, the springs 20 will; serve to. automatically return the slides to their lower positions. 7 e j The cams 41 )in the present instance are formed separately fromthe gripper-bar and comprise apertured disk sections which fit over the journals 6 of the gripper barand are provided with laterally turned flanges to present a relatively widejwearing surface for the projections on the slides. The

disk portions of the cams are provided each with an arm 44 having a pair of oppositely arranged laterally turned projections 45' which embrace the respective ends of thegripper bar and thus cause the cams to rotote-therewith, By forming the cams se .arately fromthe gripper bar and operative y connecting them therewith in the manner just described, gripper bars of'the ordinary construction may be used, but in some cases,. the cam may be formed integrally or as a partof the gripper bar as will be obvious.

A lateral gage 46 is provided to cooperate with a vertical edge of the sheet, this lateral gage being arranged to operate in a path at right. angles to the direction of movement of the stops 2]. In the present instance, this lateral gage c'omprises a strip or shank'carryinga stop 47 at the inner end thereof; the shank beingfittedto rest in a seat 48 having an undercut-flange 49 at one'edgeand a pointed screw 50 fitted :opposite to said flange, the screw bearing upon the upper corner of the-shank or strip and the'reby securing it in adjusted position" and preventing. disengagement thereof from its seat. .Tl'llS seat is mounted on a carrier '51, and the latter rests upon the upper end' olthearm 9 of thebracket and is n'ovided with a pair of longitudinally extending.

guide pins 52, the latter extending through corresponding'openmgs n an abutment 53 secured to' the bracket, and a helical'compins'and bears ,at' its'opposite ends against the springacting normally to" move-the lat 'e'ral'stop outwardly or to retract it from .pression spring 54' encircles one of these the sheet; Lateral gages having slia'nks of diil'erent lengths maybe used as desired.

During the vertical movement of-the stops 21, a corresponding horizontal-inward movementisdrnparted to the lateral stop 47, and

any suitable n ea ns mayfbe employed for effecting the movement ,of'the latter stop. In the present 1nstance,the carrier 51 for.

the lateral stop is providedwith a; roller or projection 55, and tl'ieabutment 53 is provided with a corresponding rolleror projection- 56 Which is-arranged at the outer sideof the roller first mentioned. 3 wedge 57'is attached to the ,slide 13 and provided With'a camor inclinefil'i atone side thereof,

'the inter-position of .the Wedge between the rollers as the slide 13 moves upwardly causing the rollers or pro ections to separate and thus" move the carrierfor the lateral stop inwardly against the vertical edge of the sheet A return motion of the'slide will retract the wedge from its position between the rollers and thereby-permit the spring to retract the carrier.- The wedge 57 in the present instance is pivoted to .theupper end of one oftlie slides 13 in order 'topen mit it to 'sWingfreelyas-it enters between the rollers lii operating .a press provided with a to: the proper positions alon and'the latter maybe adjusted height on the platen by. loosenin 36 and subsequently tightening em. lateral stop 473123 also'be' adjusted inwardly'or outwardly according to the width of the-sheet by loosening the screw 50 and;

shifting the shank of. this stop" in its seat.

Thegripper mechanism, jit is assumed, is

the same as that used on many presses now in use, therroller 12 cooperating with a cam or other-suitable device for moving the grippers into engagement with t.he sheet on the platen as the latterswingls into printing po'- 'sition, and retracting t e grippers as the platen moves from printing position. While the platen iB-ih'open position as shown in Fig. l, the grippers will be separated from the sheet so as to permit a printed sheet to be removed and a fresh sheet to be substituted. \Vhile the grippers are in the position just mentioned, the projection 43 on each slide will rest at the base of the in clined portion of the cams so oat the slides will be held in lowermost position under the resilient action of the sprin s :20, and the wedge 57 will be withdrawn mm a position between the rollers 55 and 56, the springifi tyieldingly retaining the lateral stop in its outermost position. As the platen moves toward printing position, the grippers will move toward the sheet, and the rotation of the gripper bar will operate the cams so as to lift the slides and consequently the vertically movable stops 21 so ported thereon. 'lhis upward movement 0 the slides also causes the wedge 57 connected to one of them to enter between the projections 55 and 56, these projections being thus separated and causing an inward movement 0 the lateral stop 47. In feeding the sheets rapidly to the press, it often happens that the horizontal or vertical edge of the sheet does not rest closely against the stops, but as the lower etc 5 in the present instance move upwardly an the lateral stop moves inwardly, the stops are brought against the corresponding edges of the sheet with certainty, and the resultant diagonal movement of the sheet serves to carry the latter precisely into printing position. As the platen is retracted, the projections on the vertically movable slides traverse the inclined portions of the cams, and under the action of the springs 20, these slides are retracted or moved automatically toward their lowermost positions. At the same time the slides are retracted, the wedge 57 will also be withdrawn from a position between the rollers or project ions 55 and '56, and the carrier which actuates the lateral stop is automatically retracted under the action of the spring 54.

Sheet-positioning gages constructed in acrorilance with my present invention are comparatively simple in construction and in practice they operate with certainty to in sure an accurate registration or positioning of the sheets. By actuating the stops automatically by means of the gripper mechanism, the construction of the device is materially simplified and correct operation is insured, and by providing stops which are retracted automatically by means of springs, an even movement is imparted to the sto s, and wearing of the parts cannot impair-t e operation thereof.

The present invention also provides many.

features of improvement over paper-gages of the character covered by my prior atent, No. 843,688 granted February 12, 190?.

I claim as my invention 1. The comliination with a. press platen and a rotatable gripper bar mounted thereon, of a lateral stop guided to move toward and from a lateral edge ofa sheet on said platen, a second stop operable positively by the gripper bar to engage a different edge of a sheet, and means embodying a wedge operable by the said second stop for actuating the lateral stop positively to position the sheet.

2. The combination with a press platen of a pair of stops guided to move toward and from the sheet in diflt'erent angular paths, a reciprocatory wedge actuated directly by one of the stops for moving the other stop in one direction only and means for effecting a reverse movement of the latter stop.

3. The combination with a press platen,

and a rotatable bar jourualed thereon, of a stop movable toward and from an edge of a sheet on the platen in a plane parallel to the face of the latter, a second stop movable into engagement with a different edge of the sheet and a cam rotatable with said bar for movin both of said stops toward the respective e gas of the sheet.

4. T e combination with a press platen, and a rotatable bar journaled thereon, of a stop guided to move toward and from an edge of a sheet on the platen, means on said bar for positively moving the stop into engagement with the sheet, a second stop operab e directly by the stop first mentioned and adapted to engage a different edge of the sheet and a spring acting independently of said bar for retracting the stop first men- 1 0 tioned.

5. The combination with a press platen, and a rotatable gripper bar journaled thereon, of a lateral stop guided "to move horizontally toward and from a lateral edge of a sheet on the platen, a reciprocatory wedge for positively moving the stop into engagement with the sheet, and a spring acting to' retract the stop and to retain the latter in cooperative relation with the wedge.

6. The combination with a press platen, and a rotatable liar journaled thereon, of a pair of slides guided to operate vertically at opposite sides of the platen, a strip connect ing said slidesnnd extending across the face of the platen, said strip carr ing a sto 'movable toward and from an e ge of a s act on the platen, a pair of cams rotatable with said bar and cooperating with the slides to actu= ate the latter positively to move said stop in engagement with the sheet, and springs mounted independently of the bar and cooperating with .said slides for retracting thestop;

7 The combination with a press platen, and a rotatable fgripper bar journ'nled thereon, of a pair 0 s11 esguided to move vertically at the opposite sides of the platen, a strip dctachably connected tosaid slides and carrying a stopwhich is movable toward and from an edge of asheet, means rotatable With, the gripper bar and cooperating with said slides to positively movetheQStop into the latter, l e, The conibinatlon with-a pleas platen, and a rotatable grlpper, bar JOllII'lfllPtl therein parallel relation at opposite edges pf the platen. a flexible strip extending across the face of the plat-en between said slides and carrying a stop adapted to more! toward and from an edge of a sheet. on the platen,

a pair of rains rotatable with the gripper bar and coiiperating WithIt-hc' slides to actuate the latter and move the stop positively into engagement with the sheet, and springs acting on the respective slides to retract the sheet-engaging stop.

fLThe combination within presa platcm and a rotatable gripper bar journaled at [he loweredge thereof, of a pair of slides guided to operate in parallel relation at the opposite .vertical edges of the platen and carrying a stop which is movable toward and: from an edge of a sheet resting on the platen.

a pair ot'ranis formed separatelylfrom and having projections detachably interlocked with the gripper bar so as to. rotate the cams with the gripper bar; said cams cooperating with the slide'sto actuate the latter in one direction only, and spring-e actingon the respective slidee'to effect movement thereof in a reverse direction.

10. The combinat on w th a press platen,

of shecbc'ngaglng stops movable toward and,

from the 'sheet in ditterent angular. paths,

, spring means acting to retract both Oftll? 11. The combination With'a press platen, of a pair of slides guided to operate in par-' allel relation at opposite edges of the platen and carrying-a-sheehengagmgstop, a lat eral stop guided to move toward and from the sheet in a path transverse to the direction of movement of the stop first mentioned. and a cam device actuated by one of said slides for moving the lateral stop positively in one direction.

i 12. The combination with a press platen, of a pan, of slides guided to' operate .in parallel paths at opposlte edges of the platen and carrying a stop to engagea lower edge of a sheet, a lateral sto movable toward and from a vertical edge 0 the sheet in a pathtrans verse to the path of movement of'the stop first mentioned, a cam d-evice' carried by one of 52nd slides and cooperating with the hitvera] stop to move it positiv'ely into engage ment with the sheet, and a spring'for effect ing a reverie movement of the lateral stop during the retraction, ofthe cani device.

l3. The combination witha press platen,

. of a slide guided to operate at one edge thereofan'd carrying a sheet-engaging stop,

sheet inja path transverse to the direction of ing a rollerwor', projection movable theremovement of the lateral stoptoward the sheet.

14. The combination with a press pla ten,

, devices to, tension the said strip.

15.. The combination w'itha press platen,

.of a strip adaptedfto extend across the" face thereof and havingmeans ti) engage and position a sheet-,-dvices mounted at opposite edges of the platen-and having means to de 'tachably'en age the respective ends'of said strip, one!) said devices being movable in a direction longitudinally ofthe 'strip, and a, spring acting on said nmvablc device to ten slon the strip and prevent detachment thereof from the-res ectivedevices.

1K3. The con ination witha press platen,

- of a strip hav ngfmeansto engage and position a sheet theireomdeviccs mounted at opposite edges of the platen for supporting said strip,the strip and supporting devices being detachably connected by hooks engaging apertures, and one of said devices being movable in a direction longitudinally of the a latera'bstop movable toward and from the on, of a pair of slides guided to operate v movement of said sl1dc,the lateral stop hav' .with, anda second projection being mounted in fixed relation, and a wedge device pivoted on eardsli-de and'having a portion adapted to enter between said projections to cause a' ion strip, and-a spring acting on said movable -device to tension the strip and retain the hook-shaped projections in engagement with the respective apertures.

17.. The combination'with a press platen, of a slide guided to o. crate at onccdge there ofand provided witi a longitudinal slot, a

.c'ross head adjustable longitudinally of the guide, a strip exten'din across the face of the platen and having s eet-engaging means thereon, a device 'for fastening said strip at oneedge of the platen, a carrier engaging the opposite end of said strip and movable on sal cross-head in a direction longitudinally of't he strip, said carrier being provided with an elongated aperture, 5, 'sp'ring inter-- posed between said carrier and crjoss head for operating the carrier to "tension said strip,a bolt extending through the longitudinal slot in the slide and through the elongated aperture in said carrier, a clamping device coiipcrating with the bolt and having a reduced part which extends through the elongated aperture in the carrier and bears on the crosshead to clamp the latter in difi'erent positions longitudinally of the slide, and means for reciprocating the latter to carry the strip toward or from the sheet.

18. The combination with a press platen, of a. strip extending across the face of the platen, and one or more paper -engaging stops mounted on said strip, each stop having a slot to slidingly receive said strip and having a second slot extending transverse to the length of the strip and having an upper Wall extendin continuously from one e gm of the stop to t e other, and a spring inserted in said second slot and having its upper end adapted to cooperate with the sheet, said sprin being confined closely within its slot and avin a frictional engagement with the strip t e continuous upper wall of the slot containing said spring serving to prevent the lat! er from bending away from the strip.

19. A papeegagc or stop for press platens comprising a stop having an elongated shank, a seat having an undercut flange at one side to cooperate with one edge of said shank and open at its opposite side to permit lateral detachment of the said shank, and a screw mounted op osite to said flange at the open side of sai seat and provided with a pointed or beveled end arranged to engage the upper corner of the opposite edge of said shank to lock the latter in diflerent longitudinal positions and Prevent displacement thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing WitllQSitS.

CHARLES M. MORRISON. \Vitnesses JACOB Barns, CHARLES S. GILMAN. 

